“Upon waking next morning about daylight, I found Queequeg’s arm thrown over me in the most loving and affectionate manner. You had almost thought I had been his wife. The counterpane was of patchwork, full of odd little particolored squares and triangles; and this arm of his tattooed all over with an interminable Cretan labyrinth of a figure, no two parts of which were of one precise shade--owing I suppose to his keeping his arm at sea unmethodically in sun and shade, his shirt sleeves irregularly rolled up at various times--this same arm of his, I say, looked for all the world like a strip of that same patchwork quilt. Indeed, partly lying on it as the arm did when I first awoke, I could hardly tell it from the quilt, they so blended their hues together; and it was only by the sense of weight and pressure that I could tell Queequeg was hugging me.”
Chapter 4; The Counterpane
Moby Dick
Herman Melville
Counterpane: The outer covering of a bed, generally more or less ornamental, being woven in a raised pattern, quilted, made of patchwork, etc. a coverlet, a quilt. OED definition. [Melville is one of the examples in the OED]
I often think of this quotation when I think about my work making quilts--one because it is beautiful writing--two because it really gets to the heart of quilts for me. The juxtaposition of Queequeg, the so-called “savage,” warm-hearted, preternatural, heroic, and the homespun, patchwork quilt is a lovely picture that ends with that unconscious hug at the end. For me quilts are all of these things.
Quilted items date back centuries, and their utility, comfort, and beauty are deeply embedded in our human consciousness. Knights wore quilted garments for protection and padding under their armor. Fabric scraps and worn out or out-grown clothing found their way into quilts that were the only defence against a particularly harsh winter. Crazy quilts, featuring hours of hand embroidery, have been lovingly created simply because the process and the finished product are beautiful.
Quilts are the very essence of humanness---the base of who we are. Our need for protection, comfort, and beauty are all found in a quilt, which is, I think, the reason why I find so much joy in my work. I love making lovely, meaningful pieces for people, and I love the process and the meaning in the quilts.
I think today, more than ever, quilts can be a beautiful balm for our souls. Even with spring slipping into summer, when we won’t necessarily wrap up in a quilt, simply having a quilt in a room---on a bed---over the back of a couch----draped over a chair---or spread out over the grass---can be pleasing and comfortable.
I love a good quilt (or two or three or in a stack!) Quilts remind me of what is important and essential: Love, comfort, security, and hugs.
Sending Quilting Love,
Ginger
P.S. By the way, I love Moby Dick---It is a viscerally written catalogue of a horrifying industry used as a backdrop to a close study of the patchwork that is humanity. There is so much beauty amongst all of its ugliness...and who doesn’t love a novel with a whole chapter devoted to a quilt.
P.S.S. I love the OED, too. I used to spend hours pouring over it at NCSU’s DH Hill Library.
Coming Next Week: My Favorite Kind of Quilt to Make!